Easy Hot Weather Meals

The weather this week is expected to be in the 80s and 90s with plenty of humidity, so the thought of cooking anything is not exciting me. Fortunately, there are lots of great meals that are cool and satisfying, and that require minimal cooking in any way that heats up the kitchen. Here are some of my favorites!

Tomato Basil Pasta

10 oz dry pasta (fusilli, rotini, spaghetti broken into smaller pieces, etc.)
6 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves crushed garlic (or 2 tsp minced)
1 small onion, finely chopped (or about 1/3 cup frozen diced onion)
2 cups diced tomatoes (or 1 can tomatoes, undrained, and omit salt)
6 leaves fresh basil, torn or chiffonaded 
1 can chicken, drained and broken up with a fork (optional; pre-cooked rotisserie chicken is also delicious)
3 tbsp grated Parmesan
3/4 cup crumbled feta (or more, to taste)
Salt and pepper

Cook pasta as directed and drain. Combine olive oil, garlic, onion, tomatoes and basil in a small bowl; let sit at room temperature. Toss pasta with Parmesan and feta. Stir in tomato mixture; salt and pepper to taste. Top with additional Parmesan if desired. Serve immediately or chill thoroughly and serve cold.

Ina Garten's Gazpacho

1 cucumber, halved and seeded but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced (or 3 tsp prepared minced garlic)
3 cups (23 oz) tomato juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Optional garnishes: Chopped hard-boiled eggs, avocado slices, crumbled feta, fresh herbs, croutons

Chop cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and onion into 1-inch cubes. In a food processor, pulse each type of vegetable separately until coarsely chopped. (Do not overprocess.) Combined the chopped vegetables in a large bowl and add garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving (chill individual bowls, as well). Serve with desired garnish and crusty bread. 

Hearty Pasta Salad

For the salad:
24 ounces tri-color rotini pasta, uncooked
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (or chop larger tomatoes, such as plum or Roma)
12 ounces pepperoni, cut into chunks (or halve slices if pre-sliced)
1 red onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced (I use a sweet red bell pepper instead)
16 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
8 ounces olives, sliced

For the dressing:
1 ½ cups olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Cook pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place in large bowl. Add remaining salad ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. If chilling overnight, allow salad to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes and toss to redistribute dressing before serving. 

Ina Garten's Asian Grilled Salmon

1 side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (about 3 pounds)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Preheat grill and brush the grilling rack with oil to keep the salmon from sticking. While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. 

Place the salmon skin side down on the hot grill; discard the excess marinade from the fish (NOT the reserved, unused half). Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes. The salmon will be slightly raw in the center, but will keep cooking as it sits.

Transfer the fish to a flat plate, skin side down, and spoon the reserved marinade on top. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. 

Chicken Taco Salad

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cups ranch dressing
1/4 cup salsa
3 Tablespoons finely minced cilantro (optional)
1 head Romaine, shredded thin
3 whole Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup grated cheese
Black olives
2 ears corn, shucked (or 1 generous cup frozen corn, thawed)
2 whole avocados, diced
3 whole green onions, sliced
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup cilantro leaves (optional)
Tortilla chips, crushed slightly

Put chicken breasts and taco seasoning in Ziploc bag and shake to coat. Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook chicken on both sides till golden brown and cooked in the middle. Set aside skillet (unwashed) for corn. Slice chicken into cubes; toss to coat with seasoning. 

Mix together ranch dressing and salsa. Adjust balance to taste. Stir in minced cilantro, if desired.

Roll corn in skillet grease and grill (or cook in skillet) till nicely colored. If using ears of corn, slice off kernels with a sharp knife. 

Build the salad in a large bowl by layering lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, olives, black beans, cheese, corn, avocado, cilantro, green onion, chips, and dressing.

New England Fish Chowder

1 pound sliced bacon
1 large onion, chopped (or 3/4-1 cup frozen diced onion)
5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 pounds cod or haddock fillets, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Place bacon strips in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook until crisp, then remove to paper towels to drain. Drain grease from the pot, reserving about 1 tablespoon. Set heat to medium, and fry onions in the reserved bacon grease until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add potatoes, and fill pot with just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, then cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add fish pieces, evaporated milk, whole milk, and butter. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls, and top with crumbled bacon pieces.

Classic Lobster Rolls

½ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp fresh herbs (parsley and/or dill), chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup minced celery
1 lb cooked lobster meat, roughly chopped 
2 Tbsp butter, softened
4 hot dog buns, top sliced
1½ Tbsp fresh chives, chopped
4 lettuce leaves (I like Romaine, but whatever you prefer)

Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and herbs, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir in celery and fold in chopped lobster meat. Cover and chill. Prior to eating, heat a large sauté pan over medium. Butter sides of buns and toast in pan until golden. Fold chives into lobster salad. Place a lettuce leaf inside each bun and divide lobster salad evenly among buns. Sprinkle with more chives and serve immediately.

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (can use frozen)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Place chicken in pot liner and season with salt and pepper. Pour broth over. Pressure cook for 14 minutes (18 if using frozen breasts), Allow pressure to naturally release for at least 10 minutes before venting. Place chicken in a large bowl and shred with two forks. 

Chicken can be used for taco salad, mixed with barbecue sauce and served on bulky rolls, mixed into pasta salad, used for chicken salad sandwiches, or whatever your favorite recipes that calls for cooked chicken. 

Instant Pot Pulled Pork

1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp paprika (I like smoked paprika)
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1.4 tsp cayenne (optional)
3 lb. boneless pork roast, cut into 3-4 inch cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 cups barbecue sauce, divided (we like Baby Ray's, any variety)
1-1/4 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable broth, divided

In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne. Season the cubed pork with the spice mixture and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together the vinegar, one cup of the barbecue sauce, and one cup of the broth.

Turn your instant pot to the saute setting. Add the olive oil and allow it to get hot. Add half of the cubed pork to the hot oil and saute for 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the browned pork to a plate and repeat with the remaining half of the cubed pork.

Turn the pot off and use the remaining 1/4 cup of beef broth and a wooden spoon to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add all of the meat along with the barbecue sauce mixture to the instant pot. Pressure cook for 40 minutes, then allow to release naturally for 10 minutes before venting. Remove the meat from the pot and shred.  Stir in the remaining cup of barbecue sauce and serve on buns as desired.

Happy (and cool!) eating!